Republic City's Night Life
by Z3R0-TH3-H3R0
Summary: AU. "Republic City stands as a beacon of freedom..." Republic City, the capital of the United Republic of Nations, is a large metropolis located on the shores of the Yue Bay. Being a modern urban center, Republic City boasts high-rise development as well as the widespread use of automobiles, motorcycles, and airships-but what happens in the dark? (Source: Wikipedia)
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

**Republic City's Night Life.**

_**Part I: To establish ties with the enemy and the untrusted.**_

* * *

_[Friday, July 5__th__]_

_11:38 PM. _

_Boom. Boom-boom. Boom. BOOM._

Puckering up, Asami applied a daring shade of ruby red to her plump lips. She concentrated on getting the curves of her luscious lips covered with men's greatest weakness: lipstick. And not the cheap kind you can get at any convenient store; the daring one, the one that spoke volumes for you. The kind that screamed, "Want some?"

She smeared it around with her lips, wiping off some excess here and there. Finally satisfied with the amount of seduction on her lips, she studied her profile carefully, looking for flaws that only she would see.

Glossy wavy hair that swept down her upper back; healthy, smooth skin; nice, natural eyebrows that didn't need plucking or waxing; a sculptured, yet delicate nose; plump lips that looked so soft and juicy; fierce, deep green eyes with a mysterious sparkle in them. Asami Sato was the definition of perfection; a goddess of divine beauty that needed to be worshiped.

The faintest of smiles reflected her approval.

Standing up with the grace of a socialite, she walked over to a rack of suggestive outfits. On occasions such as this one, she would have preferred something mysterious; something that left you wanting more, but unfortunately, this outfit was pre-decided by the manager.

In this kind of "establishment", the manager's word was law.

The bass music suddenly came to a halt, signifying the end of an act. Moments later, other female employees walked into the dressing room, a range of different emotions on their faces. A few walked in with an air of confidence, while others looked hopeless and just plain tired of this shit.

Asami paid little to no attention to her other co-workers. She was too focused on the task at hand; changing into one of her many types of attires.

A man with headphones and a clipboard came by and knocked on the locker room wall urgently. Several heads turned, many of them half or fully nude, but the man didn't seem to notice. He pointed his clipboard at Asami with a fierce look in his eyes.

"Sato. On stage, midnight!" Before she could nod in confirmation, he scurried off.

Green, empty eyes glanced over to the digital clock that hung on top of the doorway.

_11:47 PM._

* * *

Asami adjusted the straps of her attire as she began walking out of the dressing room. She personally didn't understand why they were allowed to wear something as skimpy as this. She was practically naked!

'_Oh, that's right. I work at a fucking strip club.'_ She thought sarcastically. She rolled her eyes, why even bother.

With cherry red pumps, she strutted out of the locker room, a tad bit annoyed but her eyes only showed fierce confidence and determination.

As she turned right, down the hall towards one of the main stages, one of the other co-workers glared at her retreating form. When Asami was no longer within earshot, she spoke.

"Who does that bitch think she is? Walking around like she owns the place and shit." She whined, chewing her gum with sass. Another co-worker by the lockers replied with an envious tone.

"She doesn't even bother doing the third shifts anymore! Here I am, working my ass off, trying to make a living, and she makes more than I do! All those yuans stuffed in her outfits…" The first co-worker turned back in shock, her gum almost falling out of her mouth.

"Shut up! Are you for reals?!" The one changing by the lockers nodded as she changed bras.

"Yah, I'm for fucking reals! And she doesn't even bother to talk to any of us. Like she's all high and mighty or something." A third co-worker jumped into the conversation.

"I bet she doesn't even know our names." A few of the dancers listening in nodded.

"I bet she jealous of us and our good-looks." The one chewing gum replied. A fourth co-worker was hesitant at first, but decided to add something interesting.

"I've seen her come out of Tahno's office a few times this week." The one by the lockers scuffed.

"I bet she's fucking him. Have you seen the way he looks at her while she's on stage? There's something going on there." Several of the girls agreed to that.

* * *

For the second time, Asami had to adjust her top from falling off her breast. She had a great rack, but the damn thing was a little too low for her liking sometimes.

"Stop fixing it, I think it looks great on your body. Nice fit, too." Glancing over to her left, she quickly spotted one of the male crew members that had stopped working to make the suggestion. He was new.

"Fuck off." She threatened. He was a tall, dark skinned man with blue eyes and a built body. Threatening him might have been the bravest or stupidest thing Asami had ever done. But she's faced bigger.

The man stepped closer. He must have been deaf, or didn't know how to take a hint. He licked his lips hungrily while eyeing Asami's killer body.

"When and where?" He smirked for good measure. Deciding that it would have been easier if Asami just cut to the chase instead of arguing with newbie, she took a couple of steps forward. He wasn't fazed by her tough girl act, but more interested on her cleavage; the pig didn't even make an effort to hide it.

"Let me tell you something here, newbie. I slaughter pigs like you." She whispered angrily. He met her cold glare head one. In true lustful nature, he reached forward eagerly and grabbed her waist with both hands, bringing her towards him. He leaned forward before she had time to react.

"I can talk dirty, too." His hot breath tickled her ear, "I eat girls like you–"

She pushed him back with enough force to knock him off his feet. Caught of guard, he landed on his back, shocked that he had been rejected. That must have been a bruise to his ego.

Plopping himself up on his elbows, he wiped the corner of his mouth. He honestly hadn't expected that, but he liked it.

"I like 'hem rough." He blew her a kiss and a wink. Asami was livid as she stepped closer. She was just about ready to beat the crap out of this ass, totally forgetting that she had a show to do in just a few minutes–

"Come here. baby. Come to papa." He teased, signaling her closer with two fingers.

'_Oh. He. Did. NOT.'_ She walked over to him, cracking her knuckles with each step. The newbie didn't look as enthusiastic as he did before. He almost looked scared.

Out of the corner of her eye, Asami noticed someone walking over. _'Good, let someone see me kick his ass.'_

"What's going on here?" A man in a dark blue suit and black dress shoes asked as he came closer. Asami glanced over to him, her green eyes burning with disgust.

"You should teach your employees to keep their hands to themselves." Asami mentioned, lowering her fists to her sides. Her stance was still defensive as the manager walked over to her side.

She had worked for him since he opened the place up, but she still took every opportunity she had to study his profile. With steel grey eyes and wavy black hair that hung down one side of his face, he was definitely an attractive man, if he was your type. And his height only added to his astounding physical charm; Asami was in heels and she was still a head shorter than him.

Taking three steps forward, the manager glared down at the newbie still on the floor. Now that bastard had the audacity to look scared.

"Is this true?" He asked, his voice cold and his eyes colder. The man on the floor gulped but did not answer.

"Answer me now and you're job will be spared." He stated simply. Asami stepped in, irritated and annoyed again.

"Excuse me?! Tahno, this is ridiculous! He should be fired–" Meeting Asami's determined glare, he said nothing to defend himself. He didn't have to, because Asami knew the rules around here.

Huffing in frustration, she walked away from the incident. Blue eyes observed her silently.

* * *

With only five minutes before show time, Asami leaned against the railing, overlooking her audience, on an abandoned VIP lounge. This section of the club had been shut down for about four years already, and only a handful of people had the keys. Asami happened to be a part of the selected few.

With dark eyes, she watched everyone. Men were drunk, laughing and waving around money as if they were the kings of the palace. Others were sober, lustfully eyeing the girls as they walked by. Then there were the ones that she had come to name "the back roomers." They bought girls for the night, went to the backrooms that were set up for that sort of thing, and had their way with them. Asami hated them with a burning passion.

Before her thoughts could turn astray, she heard the door open and close shut. She grinded her teeth together, mentally preparing herself for whatever was to come.

The footsteps came closer until they were right behind her, then right beside her.

"Asami." Tahno stated as he took his place next to her, also observing his customers. His grey eyes showed nothing about what he thought of the men he entertained almost daily. Quickly glancing to her left, Asami sighed.

"Tahno." He smiled faintly at her response, his eyes still focused on his employees. He finally turned away, leaning his back against the railings with his hands in his pocket.

"Asami. You know how things work around here." She stayed quiet; making sure nothing slipped the walls she had put up. Yes, of course she knew how things worked around here, but that wasn't an excuse to cover up what they newbie did. She glared at a guy who pushed one of her co-workers up against the wall roughly, then passionately touched her. Things like that shouldn't be tolerated, no matter where a woman worked.

"Asami." Tahno stated firmly in order to draw her attention to him. She sighed, gave the railing one last squeeze before she stood up straight. Tahno remained leaning against it, his hands still in his pocket. She grinded her teeth, before she ran a hand through her hair, fluffing up her locks. A habit she had picked up when she was frustrated. Tahno stayed silent, waiting for her to respond. She inhaled slowly, getting her wits together.

"I have a show to do." For the second time, she walked away from her manager.

Tahno stayed behind for a few moments. Sighing, he also ran his hand through his hair.

"What am I going to do with her?"

* * *

"-ato! Sato! Where the fuck is Sato? She's on in two minutes!" The guy with the headphones and clipboard cried out. He was a short man, skinny with a mop of brown hair, sticking out from under his big headphones. He wore thick glasses that magnified a green, irritated, pair of eyes.

With urgency, he pushed past backstage crew members, frantically looking in all directions. No sign of Asami anywhere. Frustrated, he pushed his glasses up and pushed past more crew members.

"Has ANYBODY seen Sato?!" Someone chuckled.

"Relax would you? She'll be here." Tahno pushed off the wall he was leaning against to walk over to his producer. The shorter man huffed and rolled his eyes. This was almost a weekly thing between them.

"That doesn't change the fact that I need her, here, now!" Tahno broke his gaze with his producer to look over his shoulder. He smirked.

"Well, speak of the devil." Clipboard guy spun around instantly. Walking over, was his savior. Still irritated, he met her halfway, frantically pointing at her with his clipboard.

"Sato! It is about time! You're on in … fifty seconds! Get your ass ready and keep making us money!" The little man left the star with her manger, off to annoy someone else.

Tahno watched him go, rolling his eyes in amusement. That guy was just too funny. Crossing his arms, he shifted his gaze to Asami.

"Ready?" She momentarily met his gaze, before she looked away and nodded. Eyeing her carefully, he concluded that something was still bothering her. He would have to talk to her about that. The producer appeared and pointed at Tahno, the stage, then his wrist watch. Tahno got the message and nodded.

Walking over to the stage, he sent Asami a wink. She noticed.

"Kick some ass out there." Looking away, he put on his most charming smile and stepped out into his spot light.

* * *

[Saturday, July 6th]

12:00 AM.

" … Now! For the moment you horny son of a bitches have all been waiting for! Introducing," The DJ took his cue and started to play some heavy bass tracks with a few faders*. "Asami … SATO!" Tahno gestured behind him as he walked off the right side of the stage.

Asami immerged from center stage. Her lips were plump and glossy, her hair was swaying, and her eyes screamed sexy. The men who came to watch her were all "alert" and wet like the day they were born.

Finally reaching her designated area, she placed a hand on her hip and met everyone's gaze. The bass music started to fade out as another track began to play. That was her cue.

Her body began to sway, responding to the music. With each pound of the bass, her hands would go lower and lower. The men cheered, aroused at such a rare sight of a goddess touching herself.

The bass line began to fade out as another track was layered on top of it. She began to walk forward, making sure her steps were timed right so that they corresponded to the beat. Men started to cheer louder the closer she got to them and money began to pile up on the stage.

Having reached the end of the platform, she bent down and blew a kiss and a wink at the first few rows. Some of them took the chance to stuff a couple of bills down her cleavage. The music began to change again.

As she turned around and walked away, she knew she gave the audience a great show of her ass, and made sure to use it wisely. The track was about to fade out before her real performance began. Taking a deep breath, she stopped walking.

'_Let's get this over with.'_

* * *

**A/N:**

_So what did you'll think? Obviously, I added some more details, times and dates! Oh gosh. I was so frustrated that there were no dates, those are really important in this story. You'll understand what I mean in due time._

_I know I cut it off a little early, but … that thought was amazing, so what an excellent way to end the chapter? (Plus I almost had an orgasm while writing it, so I needed to stop and hop into the nearest shower.) _

_Hopefully, I can write more… like 5k + per chapter. It will take a while, but I'll work on it a little by little._

_So drop me a line! What did you think about the rewrite! Hate it, hate me? Love it? Don't give a crap? IS IT GONNA BE A LIKE MAGIC MIKE?! (No, this story was not inspired by it, but I got ideas.)_

_***: **__I know nothing about music terminology, so did I use the right terms?! _


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

**Republic City's Night Life**

* * *

_[Saturday, July 6__th__]_

_1:31 AM._

_BOOM! BOOM. Boom. Boom- _

Her act just ended as her signature bass faded away and background music came on.

Asami dropped her head and let her raven hair conceal her face. Her lungs were gasping for more air, but she was still on stage. She had a posture to maintain, a reputation with the house.

The audience was roaring for more; demanding an encore. The young college boys were screaming their heads off, having not witnessed anything so raw in public before. The older men were thrilled, but they preferred not to show it through their facial expressions. They showed it through their tips.

Asami arose from the center of the stage. She gazed at the audience, eyes glazed over, lips slightly parted, and hair in her face. She was sweaty but that only added to her god-like appearance. It made her glow with lust.

She slowly stalked over to the edge of the stage, where most of the audience had gathered, to receive her tips. As she came closer, the college boys stuck out their hands, unable to resist the urge to touch her as if she was a superstar. She sent witty smirks and grins towards them, teasing as she brushed her fingers against their palms. The older men made no such move to touch her, having already gone through that phase before. They simply placed their tips on the edge of the stage and observed from a far.

As Asami was gathering her payment, she could feel eager hands stuff various amounts of yuan bills in the slots of her outfit; her cleavage, especially, was getting a lot of attention today.

'_Note to self: thank Tahno for the slutty outfits,'_

Asami was rounding up the last of the bills when she glanced up and spotted the 'reinforcements' coming.

They were designed to thin out the crowd and divert attention while the girl on stage gathered her cash. Wearing the smallest G-strings ever with star tape barely covering their nipples was a definite crowd pleaser with eager college boys. Tahno only decided to send them out when a girl was getting felt up too much for free. Like now.

Various girls came out from the right side of the stage and locked on to a boy. Before they realized what was happening, they were being pulled away in a booth on the other side of the building. One minute, their attention was on the hottest girl in this establishment, the next they were feeling up a half-naked girl—for a price of course. They just hadn't realized that yet.

'_And for the reinforcements.'_ Asami thought as she gathered up the rest of bills. Almost half of it was one's, a couple of five's and maybe a ten here and there.

The DJ began to play a different track, signifying a new shift and a new set of girls to entertain the night away. These girls were different than the reinforcements. Whereas the reinforcements worked during intermissions, this new set worked for the third and last shift of the night.

'_Time to jet.'_ Standing up, Asami organized the bills quickly and exited through the right side of the stage and headed straight for Tahno's office. As she passed the lockers rooms, she glanced in and up at the digital clock above the doorway.

_1:39 AM. _

"Shit."

* * *

Babes, the strip club that Tahno owned and operated, had an interesting layout. Upon entering, you were greeted with at least three rows of circular tables with four chairs around it. To the north of those circular tables was the main stage. Only the best of the best performed on it.

To the left and right of the main stage were circular 'mini stages'. If you were good, but not great, you worked the mini stages. Around both them were bar stools and tall tables able to sit two.

Along the south wall where the main entrance was located and along the west and east wall, were circular booths with dim lighting. They were used for… seductive activities that did not involve intercourse or penetration of any kind, but required little to no lighting.

There were individual stripper poles in front of or near the booths. Newbies worked those, unless they were required for a special routine, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (To be honest, the newbies who worked them weren't very good.)

And finally, we have the worst or best part of the club, depending which gender you were. The Back Rooms.

Don't go in there.

* * *

Asami quickly exited the locker room and headed straight for the stairs on top of the main stage exits. There were actually two sets of stairs that led up to the second floor, one coming from the right, the other the left. It didn't matter which one you chose, they still took you to your destination.

Asami grabbed hold of the railing to steady herself before she ascended up the stairs or where Tahno's office was located.

"Shit. I am going to be late for my shift!" She cursed, debating rather or not to climb up the steps, two at a time, in heels. She hesitated.

Running her hand through her hair, she closed her eyes and chuckled.

"I can be a little late…" She turned around and began to walk back to the locker room, passing people she had worked with for a while on the way there.

* * *

The room was dark, filled with white, hazy smoke.

Tahno's chair squeaked as he leaned back, taking another drag from his cigarette. He inhaled slowly, letting the soot fill his lungs until he felt his chest burn from the lack of oxygen. He exhaled, watching as the smoke made patterns that looked a lot like his inner demons. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not…

His mind was wandering again. Closing his eyes, he inhaled his own second hand smoke, and crushed the cigarette bud on his ash tray—which he needed to clean. Absentmindedly, he pulled out another cigarette and lite it up.

That guy… the one Asami was about to beat the crap out of—Tahno chuckled and took another drag—looked awfully familiar.

Hm. Tall, dark skin, blue eyes, built…

Tahno's eyes widened a fraction of an inch as it hit him.

* * *

_The judge pounded his gavel, silencing the court. Everyone waited; eager for the words that would change their lives. A teenager with black wavy hair and grey eyes tightened his hands into fists. A little girl, no older than 6 years old, in a red dress with a white bow started to dose off against his side. _

"_I hereby find the defendant…" The judge paused, reading over the paper he had in his hand once more, just to make sure he had it right. _

"_Not guilty." He pounded the gavel again, and proceeded to leave the court while the audience erupted into chaos. _

_The teenager leaped up, his face livid, and lunged for the defendant in handcuffs. The little girl that was leaning against him, jerked awake. Her green eyes were wide as she looked around at everyone screaming and yelling. Her eyes began to water._

"_YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER! I SAW YOU!" A tall man with a pointy goatee grabbed the teenager before he could harm the defendant. The teen kicked and screamed, struggling to break free to get his hands on this man. _

_The tall man with the goatee attempted to reason with the teen._

"_Tahno! Calm down! Control yourself. She's gone!" Tahno's eyes started to water as he continued to struggle. _

"_YOU KILLED HER! YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM US!" A middle aged man with thin wire frame glasses stood up amongst the chaos. The little girl turned to him, with tears streaming down her cheeks._

"_Papa… " The man did not acknowledge his daughter as he walked out of the court room. Nor did he acknowledge the teenager screaming and yelling his head off a few seats down. _

_The defendant found not guilty, slowly stood, his back to the pissed off teen. He stood perfectly straight as the teen continued to call him out, calling him all the names in the book. _

_The man glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes shining, and smirked._

* * *

Tahno closed his eyes, letting the nostalgia wash over him. He placed his cigarette on his ash tray, not trusting his shaking hands to hold it up. His heart was racing and he was shaking all over as tears threatened to spill. He gripped the handles of his chair, attempting to calm down.

'_Shit, how could I forget…" _

Slowly, he opened one eye and reached for the phone. Bringing it up to his ear, he dialed a number he knew by heart.

It rang twice before a familiar voice answered on the other line.

"Hello?" Tahno closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Hey… it's me. I have a problem."

* * *

Asami entered the locker room and walked straight to her locker in the far corner. The chatter from her co-workers slowly died down, but she didn't really notice. Already a foot in, she glanced over her shoulder to the clock on top of the door way.

_1:41 AM._

Again, Asami debated rather or not she should hurry up or not. Reaching her locker, she decided against it. It had been a long night and she was tired, she deserved this much. Plus, Lin would understand. That old cook always did.

Stripping out of her attire and into her birthday suit, Asami thought about her night.

It wasn't that bad. Her Fourth of July demo the other day brought her some serious cash tonight. Asami smirked as she tugged on her lace bra.

'_All thanks to Tahno, of course.' _

She let her thoughts wander a bit as she got dressed. She needed to gas up her moped, she needed groceries or else she won't be having breakfast in a few days, and she needed to do some laundry.

Pausing at that thought, Asami lifted up the green shirt she had just put on and sniffed it. It smelt like burgers and milkshakes. Blushing slightly, Asami grabbed her perfume bottle and sprayed it a couple of times on her body. Just in case.

As she was zipping up her jeans, Asami's ears caught on to something interesting.

"… all that cash…"

"…telling you, blowjobs."

"Nah… not on third shift…"Asami bit her lip and continued to dress with a straight face. She always knew her co-workers never liked her. It wasn't like she didn't like them either, she just didn't know them. They seemed like good enough women.

Their comments did sting slightly. She was a hard working woman, just like the rest of them. It wasn't fair that she was judged because of the amount of cash she brought in—or her past actions.

Quickly slipping on some old sneakers, Asami grabbed her moped keys, black leather jacket, and stripped helmet with goggles. Stuffing Tahno's cash in her pocket, she walked out with an air of confidence. She would show them that she wasn't as low as they thought she once was.

She did catch one last whisper before she was out the door.

"…slut."

* * *

"Hey, it's me. I have a problem…" Tahno muttered, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his desk. With his free hand, he brought it up to his forehead and massaged it with his fingers. That memory gave him one hell of a headache.

"Tahno? It's been a while." The voice said, sounding amused. Tahno forced a smile, even though the other person didn't see it.

"Yah I know. Sorry, it's been busy here." Tahno released his forehead and picked up his discarded cigarette; debating rather or not he still wanted it.

"I can tell." The voice replied, sounding somewhat concerned.

"Yah," Tahno paused and brought the cigarette up to his lips and took a drag, "Hey, are you, uh, still working with that…" He left his statement hanging, knowing the other person on the line would figure it out.

"Yes." Tahno let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding.

"Good. I need a favor… a big favor." He rubbed his free hand against his mouth, suddenly nervous.

"It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me. What's the problem?" Tahno closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, overwhelmed by the amount of emotion that was rushing through his veins.

"He's back." He whispered. The voice on the other side of the line was silent for a moment.

"Are you sure about this? There are other options, Tahno—" Tahno snapped.

"I want this fucking bastard taken care of, once and for all. If the god damn law won't do anything about him, then I will." He tightened his free hand into a fist as tears threatened to escape. After all these years…

The voice took its time speaking, "Alright. I'll help you."

A few tears fell. "Thank you."

* * *

Tahno had just hung up the phone and composed himself when there was a knock on his door. Clearing his throat and putting out his cigarette, he called.

"Come in." Asami quickly entered and flashed a wad of yuans. He took note of her appearance; green t-shirt, worn out jeans, a brown belt, and some regular red sneakers. Her diner attire. The manager nodded and ushered her over.

She quickly handed them over and motioned over her shoulder before Tahno could say a word to her.

"I'm already late for my shift, could you swing by my place tomorrow and …" She left her question hanging, slowly inching out the door as she waited for an answer. Which she already knew.

"Of course," He stood from his chair and adjusted his tie, "Let me walk you out."

There was no need for small talk as they descended down the stairs. They have known each other for far too long to still to do that.

Tahno glanced down at his watch as they passed by the deserted locker rooms.

_1:52 AM_. "Well, what do you know, I was just thinking about you." A deep voice purred. Tahno looked up and spotted the newbie blocking their exit. Before Asami could say a word, Tahno was in front of her and right in the newbie's face.

"Tarrlok, you need to move." The tall man looked down at Tahno, being at least half a head taller, and glared.

"I was talking to Miss Sato." He shoved Tahno out of the way, and stepped towards Asami. Taking out a twenty dollar yuan bill, he winked and stuffed it in her jean pocket. Asami gritted her teeth together and took a step back.

"How much is that gonna get me, Miss Sat—" A fist suddenly connected with Tarrlok's nose, and sent him stumbling. Tahno rubbed his fist and stretched his fingers as Tarrlok inspected the damage. It was bloody and certainly not straight anymore.

"You… you little," Tarrlok touched it and pain coursed through his face, "You little bitch! It's broken!" Tahno ignore him and turned to Asami. She was smirking as she watched Tarrlok fuss over his face. Tahno had the strangest feeling that she wanted to do that, but she would take it either way.

"You should probably go, I got this cover." He stated, getting her attention. She nodded and quickly snuck away. As the back door slammed, Tahno noticed twenty dollars on the floor.

"You're gonna pay for this, bitch! Just wait!" Tarrlok whispered as he stumbled towards a bathroom, holding onto his nose.

Tahno watched him go as a sense of satisfaction throbbed through his knuckles. It felt so good to hit him.

* * *

Asami quickly jogged to the end of the parking lot where her moped was located. You couldn't miss it because it was the only one there, white with green stripes and a leather seat. And it was all her's.

Straddling her baby, she inserted the keys and let her warm up, taking her time to put on her helmet and goggles. She glanced down at her meters to make sure everything was okay, and noticed she had less than half of a tank left.

By the time she pulled out of the parking lot and into the main road, it was _2:04 AM_. Her shift at the diner had started at _1:45 AM_.

* * *

"Jinora! Double bacon cheeseburger and fries are hot and ready—" Lin, the cook and owner of the restaurant, paused as she heard the back door open and close. Not a moment later came Asami Sato rushing into kitchen, looking for her apron as she tied her hair up. Lin chuckled and flipped a burger patty.

"Late again, Sato. I swear that's a new record." She chided, sprinkling a little bit of seasoning on the patty. Asami sent Lin a small apologetic smile as she tied on her apron and went out to relieve Jinora.

She quickly spotted the eighteen year old at the bar, preparing coffee for a couple of regulars. Jinora hadn't noticed her yet. Walking over, Asami quickly took the opportunity to look around.

A couple of regulars here and there, some cops, and a few new customers. Nothing major. Looks like it would be a relaxing night. Approaching Jinora, Asami placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. Jinora looked up, being half a head shorter, and smiled.

"Hey! You made it, I didn't think you'd show up…" Asami squeezed her shoulder and took out the coffee pot, serving an old man at the bar.

"I always show up, I was just a lil' busy this time." Jinora chuckled as she started walking to the kitchen, untying her apron on the way.

"That's what you always say, 'Sami!" Asami smiled to herself and placed the coffee pot back under the brewer. Just when she was about to clean the counter, she heard Lin.

"Asami! Two burgers, table six!" She walked over to the food counter, smiling at two teens she knew well. Jinora's younger brother and sister: Ikki and Meelo. Nice kids.

Jinora exited the kitchen, carrying her purse and coat, and approached them.

"Ready?" They eagerly nodded, and hopped off the bar stools. As they were leaving, Meelo glanced back and sent Asami a wave. She chuckled and returned it.

Lin was eagerly waiting for her as she gathered the order.

"Get any good tips?" The older women asked mischievously. Asami winked and started to walk over to table six that seated two gentlemen, new customers.

"Just a couple of fives." Lin laughed.

"That's my girl." Asami rolled her eyes, and quickly hurried over to the two men.

"Sorry about the wait gentlemen." She stated, placing their meals down in front of them.

On the right side of the booth was a young man, at least 24, with spikey black hair and orange eyes. He was dressed casually in a black button up, a brown coat, a red scarf, and some beige dress pants. On the left side of the booth was another young man, at least 24 also, with black curly hair and green eyes. He was also dressed casually in a light green t-shirt, dark green hoodie, and some torn jeans.

"Anything I can get you two?" She asked politely, making eye contact with both of them. The curly haired one smiled politely back at her but declined her offer. The spikey haired one cleared his throat.

"I would be delighted if you could join us." He stated politely, yet obviously flirting. Asami sent him an apologetic smile.

"No can do, I'm on shift right now." The man nodded, and sent her a charming smile.

"Next time, then." Asami didn't outwardly reply, but only nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lin watching from the food counter window. Time to end this.

"Just call if you need anything, enjoy." Asami quickly left before the young man could make another flirty remark. As she was walking back to the counter, she sent Lin a disgusted face. The old women chuckled and returned to the kitchen.

* * *

The diner had a cozy atmosphere; there was noise, but not enough to be considered disturbing. It was almost sleepy as a few customers nursed their coffees. This was the part of the day that Asami enjoyed the most. It was peaceful.

As she started a new pot of coffee, Asami glanced up at the old fashion neon clock.

_2:54 AM._

* * *

**A/N:**

_Holy crap, that took forever! (I'm not a very patient person, if you haven't noticed already.)_

_Well, I did take a different turn of event by introducing a part of the plot! Let's see how this goes! (I didn't do this in the old story.) I also connected characters… I didn't do that last time also._

_I think about this story all the time! How am I going to write this, should this scene be longer, should this person die or this one, etc.! I promise that this story will get exciting! Eventually…_

_**Lara Caspersen:** I'm glad that you're cool with this! And if you thought the older version rocked, you'll love this one. ;P More detail. Thanks for reviewing!_

_**Panduz:** I did too, it moved a lot faster, but it was an unorganized mess. Thanks for reviewing!_

_**FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS WELCOMED! ANON REVIEWS ARE ON AS WELL!**_


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3

**Republic City's Night Life**

* * *

_[Saturday, July 6__th__]_

_4:58 AM._

Asami had just put on a small pot of coffee for Lin and herself and started cleaning the bar when the door rang open. Glancing up at the clock, she noted it was 2 minutes before closing time. Lin would be pissed if she had to fire up the grill this late. Turning around, Asami met the awfully familiar grey-blue eyes of the tall, bald man that had just walked in and smiled, apologetically.

"I'm sorry, sir. The kitchen is—"The tall man held up his hand to stop her from continuing and sat down on the nearest bar stool. He quickly fixed his coat and Asami couldn't help but notice this professional aura he held around him.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry. But I'm willing to pay extra for a quick cup of coffee before I head into the office." The man stated, seemingly staring right through Asami. She had a feeling about him, not a bad feeling; just… she had definitely seen him before. Somewhere at some time in her life.

She brushed it off; if they had met before, this man would have brought it up. Plus, he didn't look like one of her "ex-clients"…

Putting away her rag, Asami nodded and started walking to the coffee pot.

"Alright, one cup of coffee coming right up. For here or to—"Asami was cut off as Lin suddenly exited the kitchen.

"Asami, whoever is out there, tell them that the kitchen is—"Lin stated, rubbing her eyes as she walked in, "…Tenzin?" Lin asked as she lowered her hands. She looked confused, but there was a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Asami had just handed Tenzin a steaming cup of coffee, assuming that he wanted it for here, as he looked up and seemed to recognize Lin. After a moment of staring, Tenzin began to laugh, confusing Lin even more, but that look in her eye didn't go away. Soon enough, she had joined him in his laughter.

As Asami observed the two adults, she gave a small smile. Lin was one to rarely laugh and watching her let loose was a sight she was not about to forget.

Tenzin, still laughing, held his gut as he stood up from the bar stool. Wiping away tears from the corner of his eyes, Tenzin approached Lin with open arms.

"Lin! It's been too long, old friend." Tenzin stated. They embraced and held on to each other as all their memories of the good days came back. Lin seemed to instantly snuggle into the crook of Tenzin's neck as he placed an affectionate kiss against her greying hair.

Lin broke the hug first and held Tenzin at arm's length, examining him.

"You look good." She finally stated, cupping his face in her hands. Tenzin smiled at her, his eyes twinkling with youth and memories.

Off to the side, Asami decided that it was best if she stepped out. She felt like she was intruding on something. Asami giggled at the thought that she was intruding on Lin reuniting with her long lost love.

As Asami quietly stepped into the kitchen to give Lin and Tenzin a moment, she couldn't help but smile. Smile that Lin might have found the happiness that she so much deserved.

* * *

After 20 minutes of catching up and 4 coffees later, Tenzin realized the time.

"Goodness me! I'm terribly sorry to have kept the Diner open this late! I wasn't thinking when I saw you, Lin." Tenzin confessed, gathering up his things to head out. Asami tried to hide her smile as she placed the dirty cups in the sink. Those two were so adorable.

Lin waved the comment away. "Nonsense, Tenzin, friends are always welcome." They shared a smile before Tenzin pulled out his wallet.

"Well thank you, Lin, but I still have to pay for all the coffee I consumed." His face scrunched as he tried to do the mental math.

"4 coffees—a Yuan bill per cup, plus the double pricing, as I promised..." Lin placed a hand up on his shoulder to get his attention.

"It's on the house." And before Tenzin could be argue with her, she held up her free hand as a sad smile crossed her face.

"Consider it me cashing in my rain check after all these years." A stray tear slid down her cheek. Catching the tear with his thumb, Tenzin cupped Lin's face in his hand and gave her forehead a kiss. More tears started to fall. Tenzin gathered her up in his arms and gave her a good squeeze.

"She would've loved what you did to the place, Lin." It was the first time, in all her years of knowing and working with the older women, that Asami had seen Lin cry.

* * *

Tenzin finally left the Diner at _5:23 AM_. After officially closing up and cleaning the remaining dishes, Asami walked over to Lin, turning down the radio about the police's latest attempt to catch the drug lord of the city: The Avatar. The older women had sat down on a window booth, staring at her hands on top of the table. She hadn't moved an inch, still lost in thought as when Tenzin left.

Asami wasn't sure how to approach. Console her? Humor her? Ask questions? So many options, but which were appropriate? Her determined steps began to falter before she eventually stopped behind Lin.

The cook sighed.

"We've known each other since we were kids. He was like that big brother I never had." Lin paused and sat up straight, staring at the painting of Republic City ahead of her.

"He was always there for me. And I know he always will be." A small nostalgic smile appeared on Lin's face. Asami smiled, those kind of relationships were the best.

"I loved him. And he loved me." Lin finally turned around to face Asami. Her greying green eyes were full of happiness. Her face was glowing. She looked younger.

"We loved each other…" Lin whispered, her eyes twinkling even more. Asami intertwined her hands together, not having the heart to interrupt her boss. It was rare to see her so open and carefree for once.

"We loved and supported each other. He supported me when I went out to be a cop, like my mother." Asami raised an eyebrow, having not knowing that before. "And I supported him when he went out to become a detective." Lin paused, gathering her thoughts. "He was there during that… awful time." Lin broke her gaze with Asami and glared at the floor.

"He had always been there and I will always be there for him." Lin smiled at the ground and finally got up from the booth, her joints cracking as she stood up. Walking over to Asami, Lin placed a hand on her shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. Greying green locked with the green of spring.

"When you find someone that supports you and all the decisions you make, the good and the bad, don't let them go."

* * *

**Eye-catch:** A hooded figure casually walked the central streets of Republic City. There was hardly anyone up at this hour and aside from an occasional police car or random Satomobile, anyone on the streets either.

Catching wind of a faint police siren on the other side of the city, the hooded figure smirked. As the wail faded away, the figure let down her hood. A girly face emerged, her hair up in a ponytail that swayed as the wind greeted her.

Closing her eyes as she walked, she inhaled the smell of another day and new adventures.

* * *

"Have a good morning, Asami!" Lin yelled as she walked out the front entrance of the Diner. Asami looked up from the numbers she was doing, black glasses perched on her nose. She sent the elder women a wave before the door closed behind her.

"See you later, Lin." The signature green door that separated the Diner from the world sealed back into place, leaving Asami all alone on the wrong side of it.

With the sun shining in through the windows, a police siren racing somewhere through city, and the radio playing the latest jazz music, Asami lifted up her glasses and continued calculating numbers.

* * *

It was _5:37 AM_ when Asami finally opened the door to her apartment. Tired and hungry, she flicked on the nearest lamp, illuminating the room. Dropping her keys on the table to the left of her doorway, where her lamp was, she dragged herself a few feet to her maroon colored bed and flopped down, face first. Only half of her body was on the bed, but she didn't care since she was exhausted.

Moments before her brain gave in to sleep; a loud, dense, rumble came from the pit of her stomach, reminding her that she was running on empty.

"Ugh." Asami groaned, knowing that she needed food in her system or she would wake up feeling like crap. Pushing herself up, Asami flipped over so that she was now sitting on the edge of her bed. In true lazy fashion, she dragged herself over to her refrigerator and peered inside.

Half a packet of cheese, a couple of bottled waters, one beer, and take out from more than two weeks ago. Throwing away the take out, she opened up the freezer, not surprised at how empty it was; a couple of ice trays with no ice and something that had an extreme case of freezer burn.

"Shopping time." She sighed, walking over to her closet on the other side of her room. While on her tip toes, Asami felt around until her fingers brushed against something metallic. Bringing it down, she peered into a can that held her stash of cash. There was only about thirty dollars left.

Biting her bottom lip, Asami decided to take it all. She'd make it up later this week.

Stuffing the money in her back pocket and putting the can away, she ran a hand through her hair and went out to satisfy her hunger.

* * *

A small convenient store was strategically placed a couple blocks south east from Asami's apartments. Often opting to drive downtown to the market for the cheaper prices, Asami hardly visited it. Unfortunately, at this time, the markers were nowhere near open, leaving her no option.

As Asami exited her apartment building, she took note of the few people up this early; a few business men on their way to work who still needed a couple more hours of sleep and some suspicious looking fellows.

21 year old Asami Sato lived on the west part of Republic City. Notorious for its gang violence, residents had learned to keep a look out for trouble in order to avoid it.

Clenching her hands into fists while walking at a brisk pace, Asami kept a look out for men or women with a triangle tattoo on any visible part of their body; a sign that they were a part of the Triple Threat Triad.

It was the Triad's mark; an infamous organized gang known for its violence and hate crimes against anyone and everyone. Any member of the gang was required to get the basic tattoo after passing a certain number of tests. Those were the initial requirements, but if you wanted to move up in the ranks, you had to pass more tests. The bigger the tattoo, the more valuable you were to the gang.

About a block away from the convenient store, Asami noticed a familiar red Satomobile cruising down the street. Ducking into the nearest alleyway, she hid from view as it passed by. The man driving the vehicle didn't seem to notice.

After a couple of seconds, Asami stuck her head out, checking to see how far the automobile had gone. It was no longer in her line of vision.

As casually as she could, Asami exited the alleyway and continued on her way to the convenient store. She failed to notice that in the alleyway she had used to hide, was a huge triad triangle spray painted. Inside the triangle, were the words:

_Men._

_Women. _

_Guns. _

She also failed to notice the red Satomobile parked a block away from the convenient store as she walked in.

* * *

**Eye-catch:** A young man with piercing yellow-orange eyes and combed black hair nodded to himself as he inspected his new apartment. He had just moved in and while it was a bit small for his taste, he liked it.

Deciding to be friendly, he walked over to the door left of his: room 7A. Rasping his knuckles against the wooden door, the young man stepped away. Eagerly, he wanted for the beautiful young lady he had seen exiting this room earlier today. Despite just passing her as she made her way out while he made his way in, he could easily call her gorgeous.

After a few anticipating seconds, no one answered the door. _'Maybe she can't hear it…'_ He concluded as he knocked again. Nothing, just like the first time.

'_Or she's not home.'_ With his pride slightly bruised, the young man walked back to his room to continue settling in.

* * *

The sun began to shine on the early risers of Republic City, watching over them as they started their day. A few eagerly accepted the sun's presence while others shielded away from its gaze. It wasn't for everyone, but the sun had a job to do.

As the sun continued to move during the day, so did the city. In no time, Republic City became the metropolis city it was known to be: citizens in and out of Central Station, police men patrolling around the city, factory workers sweating due to the rising temperatures, shady people making deals in dark alleyways, students rushing in and out of the classes offered at Republic City Academy, and the upper class men and women enjoying life.

Now the sun was setting. The bustling city refused to die down as thousands of colors of lights came on and greeted the stars. It was the original city that never slept.

* * *

_10:15 PM. _

A shrill sound filled the quiet bedroom. It screamed in consecutive beeps, its numbers flashing in time with the rhythm. Asami groaned and buried her body deeper into her bloody red comforter, away from her alarm clock.

Unfortunately, it did its job pretty damn well. After about a whole minute of annoying little wails, Asami finally gave in, rolled over, and hit snooze. Now on her back, one arm extended off the bed, Asami had no choice but to get up. Mentally gathering up the will and the strength, she huffed and flipped back down on her stomach, already in the arms of her dreams she had momentarily left. Her life could wait.

The alarm clock didn't like the idea that it had been tricked. It went off again just as Asami was entering the beginning stages of REM*.

Groaning at being interrupted yet again, Asami flipped over and slammed the snooze button. The alarm smugly stopped making noises, knowing she was finally wake this time.

Annoyed at such a rude awakening, Asami decided that it was about time she faced the world.

Kicking the warm comforters off her body, she groaned in protest. This was going to be harder than she thought.

* * *

**Eye-catch:** A man sat against his desk, flipping a phone around his hand. He was facing his doorway, his back to the beautiful view of the Yue Bay at night. He was thinking about what to do next.

* * *

**A/N: **

_I decided to stop it there since I practically would have overloaded you'll with things you should be remembering. And there are a few things I, oh so, casually mentioned. Such a sneaky author I am. _

_I'm sorry for making you'll wait. Like the man in the last eye-catch, I, too, was contemplating about what to do next. It may have seemed like forever to some of you and such a little time for the others, but still, sorry for the wait. _

_Summer is almost here! And you know what that means?! MORE UPDATES! That's certainly something to look forward too! (Unless I catch writer's block or find a plot hole in my story ;A;)_

_So what did you'll think of Tenzin making a surprise appearance? And his relationship with Lin is still up in the air because I didn't say they were lovers (Asami assumed that.) I said they loved each other! Something to think about. _

_Damn. I think in the previous chapter I mentioned dollar bills. My deepest apologizes. It just occurred to be that they use Yuans as currency… Well, for now on, when I say "Ones", "Fives", "Tens", etc. I really mean Yuan bills… Sorry again._

_Did you'll like the eye-catches? They are meant to inform you'll about what's happening somewhere else during the same time as the previous scene. I'll be putting them in every 3__rd__ chapter, so that's another thing to look forward too. _

_***:**__ Rapid Eye Movement. It's the deepest part of sleep, where you normally dream. (I think, someone please correct me if I understood incorrectly!)_

_**MakorraKorrasamiLuvr:**__ Why thank you! I'm glad you think it's good. I hope you enjoyed this chapter because I certainly enjoyed writing it! Thanks for reviewing!_

_**Bum:**__ Aww! Thank you, I also like this rewrite. Hey, that was pretty good rhyme there! (Unless it wasn't a rhyme and I just read it like one…) AND I GAVE YOU KORRA! (Snap, spoilers in case you didn't know it was her…) Thanks again for reviewing! _

_**Kassy1536:**__ It was a different way of introducing Asami, especially since she is our main character! (Well, one of them.) Thank you so much, that means a lot coming from a reviewer! I originally liked the old one more because it moved faster, but I missed a lot of the details that needed to be used because they would have been helpful for the story to develop. Really, the pace is good? I thought it moved kinda slowly, since I seem to be writing only one day of Asami's life at a time… But thanks for that! Now I know! Thanks for the review!_

_**Guest (1):**__ Thank you! And bam, I made Korra appear, even though it wasn't her official introduction! (Sorry for spoiling it if you didn't know it was her.) Hoped you liked this chapter and thanks for reviewing! _

_**Guest (2):**__ Thanks for reviewing! And look, I added more! I really hoped you enjoyed it! _

_**Feedback is always welcomed! Tell me what you liked and hated it about it! The review box is there to help writers write better! Make use of it, please.**_


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

**Republic City's Night Life**

_[Saturday, July 6__th__]_

_10:23 PM._

Asami blinked herself awake as she walked over to her newly restocked fridge. Opening it up, she was greeted by all sorts of generic name brands you could find at your local convenient store. Running her hand through her locks, she lazily scanned all the new things she could consume.

'_Cereal sounds nice.'_ She decided, pulling half a carton of milk out and placing it on the counter on her right hand side. Shuffling over to the cabinets on the opposite side of the fridge, Asami was about to open one when she heard big, thunder-like footsteps stomping down the hall.

Pausing, Asami stared down at her doorway in annoyance. As far as she could remember, she didn't have rowdy neighbors. Heck, she wasn't even sure if she had neighbors.

"What the fuck…?" She whispered listening as the footsteps got louder and louder.

"SATO!" Asami's eyes widen as her body tensed up. No… it can't—

"SATO!" The footsteps were getting bigger and louder the closer they got. With her body finally catching up with her brain, she darted across the room over to her closet. Quickly on her toes, she frantically searched for her can that held her stash of cash. Sweat rolled down her neck as the footsteps began to rock the seventh floor of the apartments she resided in.

Her trembling fingers brushed against something metallic and cold. With a rush of relief, Asami pushed her toes to tiptoe higher, pulling the muscle over its max. As her nails clinked the tin can, she could feel a deep pain began to spread from the center of her foot—a cramp.

"Fuck. Don't cramp on me now!" Asami cursed, finally brushing the can enough to pull it closer to her.

**KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. **

"Sato!" The pain was beginning to numb her foot as her fingers pulled it closer by an inch. "Almost there…" Asami whispered as she tried to bare the pain.

**KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. **

"Sato! Open up, I know you're in there!" Her fingers barely had a grip on the metallic can but it was enough. With one final tug, the can was within grabbing distance. Asami pulled it down, hopping on one foot over to her bed.

Plopping her cramped foot on her lap so she could massage it, Asami peered into the cup.

Empty.

"Fuck!" Asami slapped her free hand to her forehead—the cup falling off her lap and onto the floor—trying to remember what happened to her money…

The groceries!

**KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. **

"Sato! Open this fucking door! I know you're in there!" The man on the other side of the door was getting impatient with every second that Asami did not open her door.

"Sato! Where's my fucking money!"

**KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. **

Clamping her teeth down on her lower lip and cramp finally gone, Asami walked over to the door (accidently kicking the can under the bed).

Even though it wasn't necessary, thanks to the city's lighting coming from her only window, Asami flicked on the lamp near her door. Something to do as she walked towards her appending doom; it served as a little distribution in the air while she was on a one track train of thought.

While unlocking the locks on her door, Asami's mind was racing and numb at the exact same time. She had been in this situation before, once every month in fact. On the first week of the month, her land lord would come around and collect the rent for each floor on the apartment. There were a total of 7 floors and she just happened to live on the top one.

**KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. **

"Open the fucking door—"Asami swung the door open, meeting the red face of her land lord, Saikhan.

"What do you want?" She asked coldly, crossing her arms over her chest. Saikhan, being a head and a half taller than her, scoffed.

"You know what I want," he paused, his chest heaving up as he inhaled, "I want my fucking money, Sato." Asami was now a 110% positive that she didn't share the 7th floor with anyone, seeing how no one came out to investigate what all the noise was about at this hour.

'_Looks like it's just me on my own again.'_ Asami thought bitterly.

"I don't have it at the moment." She stated, giving Saikhan her best glare. Saikhan returned it but then his gaze turned soft.

"You know…" He stepped forward, "there are … other (he smirked) methods of payment." He lightly traced his finger up Asami's bare arm.

"Come on, Sato. Just like old times." His fingers disappeared into the fabric that covered her shoulder, gently massaging the soft skin there. As his hot, meaty fingers continued to travel higher up her shirt sleeve, Asami was faintly aware of the fact that she didn't wear a bra to sleep.

Saikhan stepped closer, his free hand cupping Asami's waist, bringing her into his dirty muscle shirt. Asami's crossed arms were the only thing that prevented their chests from touching.

"Remember?" He whispered into her ear, alcohol staining the tip of his breath, "You liked it last time…"The hand on her waist played with exposed alabaster skin.

Closing her eyes, Asami steadied her breathing and the rage within her as Saikhan continued to reminder of what a 'great time' they had some time ago when Asami was unable to pay her rent.

"Saikhan…"She whispered sweetly. The hands hidden beneath her shirt hesitated for a second.

"Yes…?" He licking her ear lope lightly.

"Get the fuck off me." Saikhan chuckled in her ear. The hand underneath her shirt sleeve retreated to join the eager hand on her waist. Together, both hands gently explored alabaster skin that was familiar to the touch.

"No." Asami's hand reached down and roughly cupped Saikhan's family jewels. His breath hitched and his face contorted into a look of pain. She twisted her hand tighter, causing him to make an unnaturally high pitched sound.

"I said," She twisted harder, "Get the fuck off me." She released her grip and gave Saikhan a shove.

The land owner stumbled but his main concern was his prized package. He grabbed his cock through his sweat pants, nursing it as if it would make a difference in the amount of pain he was dealing with. He looked up at Asami, his face full of anger.

Asami looked down at him; her green eyes had taken on a more sinister, darker shade to them.

"I'll pay you later, with interest." She slammed the door in his face.

* * *

A lone figure stood in an alleyway, watching the different kinds of people that passed by with a blank look. Occasionally, a small child rushing by with their parents would peer in, only to stare into darkness.

As the lone figure came within sight of the marvelous, shining, sky scrapers, she would stop and resume watching the people that lived and thrilled within the central part of Republic City.

Her blue eyes were currently on an old couple that had stopped walking to sit on a bench when she felt something vibrate. Looking away as the couple embraced, the lone figure pulled out her phone and flipped it open.

**In town. Stop by my place. I have something for you. **

**-A**

The lone figure faintly smiled and pushed off the alley wall she had been leaning against. As casually as she could, she pulled on her hood and joined the crowds of people, mentally preparing herself to head into the West side of Republic City.

* * *

It was _10:43 PM_ when Tahno finally decided to look up from his work. In the back of his mind, he knew there was something he had to do, but he had already missed that opportunity.

What was it? He scratched the back of his head in wonder.

His office phone rang, breaking his train of thought. Putting his cigarette out, he picked up the phone.

"Tahno." He stated, staring blankly into the smoke that swirled around in front of his face. The patterns that formed were unique as the next one. One was never repeated; the endless possibilities.

"Tahno…" Asami growled on the other line. Everything fell into place.

"Fuck, your money." Before Asami could fit a word in, Tahno placed the phone down and clicked the speaker button. Walking over to his safe in the corner of his room, he spoke as he unlocked it.

"I'm sorry. I got so caught up with the paperwork that needed to be turned in, it completely slipped my mind." He pulled out an envelope containing the dancers' cash, "I have the money right here, I could swing by your apartment in a few minutes and drop it—"

"Tahno, it's fine, really." She added before Tahno could ask if she was sure. "I know the girls are already coming in for the night, so I can swing by before my shift at the diner. I'll come up to your office." She virtually left no room for argument. Chuckling as he locked up the safe and brought the money to his desk, he nodded to himself.

"Alright, that's fair enough. Be careful, Asami." He could hear her smile through her reply.

"You too." She disconnected the call, leaving Tahno all alone with his thoughts, money, and never boring smoke.

* * *

Shutting her door while wiping the remaining toothpaste from the corners of her mouth, Asami searched around her apartment for some clothes. Inspecting her closet, she grabbed some grey skinny jeans and a loose green t-shirt, since she still had her shift at the Diner later. While looping her studded belt through her jeans, she looked around for her tradition red and black biker jacket. It was draped on her couch, right where she had left it the morning after coming home from shopping.

Pulling it on, she inspected herself in a mirror. Descent was the word that rang through her mind.

She gathered her cellphone and moped keys before she was out the door.

After inserting her house key through the key slot and turning right to lock her door, Asami heard the faintest sounds of movement behind the walls.

'_So I do have neighbors.'_ She smiled, pocketing her keys in the side pocket of her biker jacket.

It was nice to know that she wasn't alone in this dump she called home.

Since the elevator had been broken since she could remember, Asami began the demanding journey down seven stories worth of apartments.

Her footsteps were only whispers amongst the breeze created by the air-condition when her neighbor, apartment 7B, opened his door. A young man, with sleek black hair and yellow-orange eyes emerged, dressed in only a robe. Still up at almost _11 PM_, the man did not look like a happy camper as he smoked his cigarette and scratched the stubble growing on his chin. Following him, was a shady looking woman still putting on her provocative clothes.

"My money?" The women inquired, holding up a hand. The man took a drag off his cigarette and blew the smoke right in her eyes. Her face contorted into one of disgust as she waved the smoke away, coughing.

"Hm. I don't think so," The young man decided, scratching his groin through his red robe. "You see, I was promised pleasure," He flicked his cigarette, dispersing ash on the woman's shoes. "It wasn't a very pleasurable experience, so you didn't do your job correctly." The young man gave a menacing grin as the women's hand turned into a fist. The women stepped forward, drawing in her breath to cuss this low life out.

"Nah ah." He warned, pulling open his robe and flashing a gun hidden in the waist band of his boxers, "I wouldn't do anything… hasty." The women froze and eyed the weapon with caution. The young man observed her with excitement in his yellow-eyes; watching her reaction was making him 'excited'.

"Now, get lost bitch." He slapped her ass for emphasize to get moving before he did anything… hasty.

* * *

"You've got to be fucking kidding!" Asami whispered harshly, pinching the bridge of her nose to calm herself down. She was in the parking lot of her apartment complex, perched on her moped with popped tires.

"I will kill the son-of-a-bitch that did this." She flared, angrily looking down at her front tire that was completely flat. It was when she closely inspected her front tire that she noticed someone had drawn a light blue triangle right next the puncture mark.

"Fucking Triads." Asami muttered, getting off her moped. Biting the inside of her cheek in frustration while running her hands through her hair, she gazed to the east, taking in the bright skyscrapers that illuminated the night sky. Sighing in defeat, she gazed over to the north, and caught sight of a couple of light beams, beckoning anyone that was foolish enough not to know what they mean near.

She had two options: head over to Babe's for the cash she needed for various things, or head on to the Diner to work her shift, running the risk of no money later on. Basically, it was either money or no money.

'_I really need the cash…'_ She thought, having already made up her mind before she realized it.

Running her hands through her hair for the third time, Asami was about to reach into her jacket for her phone to explain her situation to Lin, when she felt it vibrate.

'_Speak of the devil.'_ She chuckled, flipping the phone open.

"Hey, I was just about to call—"

"Asami. I closed the diner for tonight. Officer Bumi swung by and warned me about a possible turf war between the Triple Threats, Agni Kai, and the Red Monsoons. It's gonna be big according to his sources." Lin breathed out. Asami blinked, taking all the information in. A turf war? That would explain her tire…

"Okay, thanks Lin. You be careful now." Asami stated, no longer feeling the need to tell Lin about her situation.

"Thanks, you too. I know you live in the heart of Triple Threat territory. Be cautious." Lin stated, sounding quite concerned for Asami's sake.

Smiling at how protective her boss was, Asami was touched. "Thanks. I will Lin, have a good night."

"You too." Was Lin's last words before the older women hung up.

Feeling a great deal of pressure being lifted off her shoulder, Asami quickly took off in the direction of Babe's, not wanting to eventually get caught in the gun show that was about to go down in a few hours.

* * *

"Fuck… Fucking shit!" Tarrlok cursed as he slowly peeled off bloody bandages from his nose. Carelessly throwing them on his carpeted floor where his abandoned shirt was, he slowly got up from the edge of his bed and walked as carefully as he could to his restroom. With any little step he took, pain would shot up his broken nose and began to throb.

"I'll get that little cunt." He promised, inspecting the damage done by Tahno once he was in front of his bathroom mirror.

His nose was tilted to the left and heavily bruised along the bridge of the nose and his eyelids. Dried blood had crusted along the huge gash that Tahno had given him/where he had broken his nose. It looked disgusting.

"Shit, it really is broken…" Licking his lips in anticipation, the older man carefully ran a finger along the gash, wincing when pain spread through his head.

"That little bitch." He whispered to his reflection, turning on faucet for cold water. Running his fingers under the water, he carefully began to clean the dried blood along his wound.

As Tarrlok faintly cursed every time he touched a sensitive part of his nose, the clock that hung on his wall changed to _11:23 PM_.

* * *

The lone figure spotted the apartment complex with no trouble. An old building that had been rebuilt in a few areas, seven stories high; it blended in with all the rest, which was great. The perfect hiding place.

With her hand on the door handle, the lone figure glanced behind her shoulder and noticed a restaurant with a few tough looking guys hanging around outside a few blocks down, across the street.

Smirking, she realized why they decided to settle here.

'_Well played you two.'_ She pulled open the door and strolled in.

* * *

_[Sunday, July 7__th__]_

_12:03 AM._

Asami had walked in during Babe's prime time: midnight. Almost all the female dancers were busy.

A few experienced ones were on the main stage, entertaining those that were foolish enough to be drawn in by their sparkly skin and flashy outfits. Others were on the mini stages, easily gaining the attention of the men passing by with their lasers and drawing them in with their seducing features. And finally, new girls were occasionally flashing their goods to unsuspecting men and luring them in with their suggestive dance moves.

A few feet in, Asami was cut off by a couple dashing in front of her. "Come on, honey. The back rooms are this way." An employee shouted into a college boy's ear, pulling him by his red tie towards the infamous back rooms.

Asami didn't miss the weekend shift at all.

Quickly moving towards the wall to avoid the club traffic, she eventually made it to the back stage entrance by the main stage. She quietly slipped behind the red curtains, trying not to interfere with the girls who were lined up to perform next. She mumbled apologizes as she slipped between them, eventually making it to the stair case leading up to Tahno's office.

* * *

"_He hasn't shown up?" _

Tahno paced around his office, nibbling on his thumbnail. "Nope." He replied, his voice laced with concealed anger.

"_Tahno. Sit down, I can hear you pacing."_ The person on the other line commanded. Tahno obeyed, but moments after sitting down, his leg began to twitch up and down. He was anxious.

"Do you think he knows?" Tahno asked seriously, interlacing his fingers while thumbing his thumbs together.

"_I doubt it. If anything, his sudden absence is related to your punch you mentioned earlier."_ Tahno closed his eyes and smirked.

"It felt so good to smack that smug look off of his face…" He whispered, opening his desk drawer to look for some cigarettes or something stronger. There was neither. Tahno bit the inside of his lip; he could have sworn he bought a pack… unless he finished it already.

"_I bet… If you'd like, I could send a couple of newbies down to scope the place out for a few days. They're new to my kind of establishment and they could use the experience, of course, if you approve?"_

"Sure, send them over." Tahno answered automatically, searching his other drawers for something to smoke on, in case he placed them somewhere else. After easily cleaning all four desk drawers, he came up empty handed. He'd have to stalk up and soon.

"_Alright then. It was a pleasure speaking to you again Tahno. Keep me updated."_ The line went dead.

* * *

The lone figure was ascending to the fourth floor when her phone vibrated in the pocket of her hoodie. Deciding that now would be a good time for a break; she wiped out her phone and answered it after the second ring.

"What?" A deep, familiar voice replied.

"_Hey, it's me. Think you could stop by Babe's later? I need to stock up."_ Recognizing the voice as Tahno, one of her favorite regulars, the lone figure smiled as she leaned up against the stairwell.

"Sure, I can stop by later tonight." Short, simple, to the point was how she did business.

"_Great, swing by anything tonight. I'll be on the floor or up in my office."_ The lone figure had an idea.

"Wait, I'm about to meet up with my supplier. Want me to hook you up with some new shit?" Licking her dry lips, she waited for the answer she already knew.

"_Of course."_

* * *

Saikhan sat on his worn out couch as one of his female tenants sucked his dick with enthusiasm. If someone (female) couldn't pay this month's rent, this is how he took care of it. Or (males) you could pay later; with a little extra added every hour you were late.

'_Like Asami fucking Sato.'_ He thought angrily. _'Why couldn't that bitch just suck my big ass dick like every other woman here? Stupid fucking bitch.'_

Getting frustrated with his thoughts, he closed his eyes and focused on the blow job he was getting. She certainly was eager.

Deciding to give her a little test, he roughly grabbed her hair and pulled her closer to his lower abdomen, causing his cock to reach the back of her throat. The tenant didn't gag like he had expected.

"Ah. No gag reflex? I like that." He smirked, releasing the back of her head. Feeling close, he rested his head against the back of his couch and moaned.

"Right there, baby." A few sequential gun shots were fired somewhere down the street. Then someone screamed.

* * *

"So, the Avatar made it." A deep male voice stated once the lone figure opened the door to his office and shut it behind her. The room was dark, except for a small bay window, situated behind the man who was sitting behind a desk. You couldn't see his face but because of a ray of light coming in from the street, you could see a red ring with the kanji for equality on his right little finger.

"Good to see you back in town." The lone figure replied sarcastically, pulling down her blue hood to reveal dark brown hair that was pulled up in a high ponytail, with two side tails framing her dark brown face.

The man rose from his seat but stayed behind his desk with his hands behind his back. "Unfortunately, I'm only here to present you with a gift from my brother and I." Clearly confused, the young lady blinked.

"A gift?" The man nodded and gestured to the right side of his office. Following his arm, she noticed something … furry. Her blue eyes widened.

"That's a…"

"A fire ferret, yes. A baby fire ferret, to be exact." Touched, she slowly approached the chair which the fire ferret was sleeping on. Cautious not to wake it up, she knelt down in front of the chair, watching it sleep. It was same for its age and looked slightly malnourished.

Its nose suddenly twitched, almost sending her into a chorus of 'aw's because of how adorable it was.

"May I?" She asked, extending her hand over its candy red coat to pet it. The man, who continued to stand behind his desk with his hands behind his back, nodded.

"He's yours now, Korra." Smiling as she petted his fluffy coat softly, Korra turned towards one of her mentors.

"Thank you, Amon. And be sure to thank your brother for me." Returning her attention to the fire ferret that was now awake, she leaned down and placed a gentle kiss against its forehead.

"I'll name you, Pabu." She whispered as she gathered him in her arms.

Amon silently watched as his pupil interacted with her new pet. He noticed that her hard exterior was nowhere to be found as she carefully placed Pabu on her shoulder. The fire ferret then proceeded to curl its bushy tail around her shoulder by means of balance and comfort. Korra scratched him behind his small ears affectionately, approving of the position.

"Before I go, I was wondering if you had any new merchandise you'd like me to distribute." Korra inquired, her hard exterior up, or as Amon called it, her 'business face'. Smiling to himself at the irony of her moods, he gestured to his left.

"In the next room, take whatever you'd like."

* * *

**A/N: **

_Woah! Passed the 4K mark! HIGH SCORE! _

_And, I introduced Pabu! AND KORRA! __**AND AMON! **__This is a high score! Definitely, I like this high score thingy if it means getting progress in my story! (Hopefully you'll noticed it.)_

_Hehe, well this chapter was certainly interesting, am I right?! So much more to come! (So much more I still need to plan.)_

_**DarkWolfHunter900:**__ I have updated thee story! (Not immediately though… sorry about that.) Thank you! It's so reassuring that people think my stories are awesome! (Real ego boost…) I can say that I wouldn't be as fast with the next update, but you never know! I could be hit with the creative spark at any time! Hope you enjoyed and thanks for the review!_

_**MakorraKorrasamiLuvr:**__ O_O Do you want spoiler alerts on when they do?! NO?! Okay… And you aren't a loner anymore! I updated! Yes! That was a good one! (It's going in my books of rhymes!) Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks for the review!_

_**Bum:**__ Hey! That was another good rhyme! (You guys are good, this is going in the book as well.) YAH! MORE KORRA! And your very welcome! :D I hope you enjoyed! And thanks for reviewing!_

_**Guest:**__ Thank you! I hope you enjoyed and thanks for the review!_

_**Baconlover554:**__ Aw, thank you! I'm so happy that you think it's amazing! And I will! I actually like this version a lot better than my last, because I can stretch out my thoughts and add detail and all that good stuff. Thanks for reviewing and I hoped you liked it!_

_**SKHT:**__ Really?! I didn't think it was possible to be in a love with a story but you did it! Thank you! AND SHE MADE AN APPEARANCE IN THIS CHAPTER?! Not to toot my own horn, but I liked how I introduced her… :D It's gonna be even better next chapter! (*spoiler alerts I was typing about earlier*) I really hoped you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!_

_**Feedback is always welcomed! Tell me what you liked and hated it about it! The review box is there to help writers write better! Make use of it, please.**_


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